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In the U.S., licensed female drivers outnumber licensed male drivers by about three million, and yet when it comes to safety features, the majority of vehicle testing is still carried out using outdated data and models designed to protect the average man.
According to government data, female drivers in the United States are 73% more likely to be severely injured in a car crash than their male counterparts, and are 17% more likely to die.
It seems that everything from seatbelt design to airbag placement has historically been determined through testing using dummies modelled on male physiques.
Taking into consideration the higher associated risks for female drivers, the federal Transportation Department has approved the use of a new female crash dummy, known as the THOR-05F.
The new model features more than 150 sensors and has been designed to more accurately reflect the average female body, with particular attention paid to the shape of the pelvis, breasts and legs.
Jonathan Morrison, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, spoke on the decision to endorse what the government has called a “more lifelike and durable” model. He said:
“Better understanding the unique ways in which women are impacted differently in crashes than men is essential to reducing traffic fatalities.”
Hitherto, the majority of safety testing in the U.S. has been carried out using the Hybrid III — a crash dummy based on the proportions of the average male in 1970: 5 feet 9 inches and 170 pounds.
In 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration updated its 5-star testing system, using a safety dummy based on female proportions; however, the majority of tests only required the female dummy to be used in the rear and passenger seats.
Despite endorsement from the U.S. government, whether the THOR-05F is adopted in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration car safety tests or Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards remains to be seen.
Legislation to be debated in Congress seeks to make its use compulsory, however a number of factors will dictate whether this becomes a reality. Firstly, some argue that the gap between male and female fatalities is already closing due to enhanced safety features in newer vehicles.
A representative from the not-for-profit group Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Joe Young, opposed the decision, suggesting design improvements such as better crumple zones were largely closing the gender gap in newer cars. He said:
“While we’re continuously evaluating new tools that become available, we have no plans to adjust the dummies used in our consumer ratings crash tests at the moment.”
Whilst government endorsement is ostensibly a sign of increasingly inclusive automotive legislation, new advances in AI and virtual testing may offer more comprehensive and cheaper solutions to automotive safety concerns.
Virtual testing uses computer-generated humanoid models that allow accidents to be simulated digitally. These models can be augmented to reflect different sizes, muscle structures and bone densities, and can be run against an almost infinite number of real-life scenarios.
As advancements in AI are changing the world of automotive manufacturing, these new technologies could also have far-reaching impacts on automotive safety testing.
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